being whistled at or catcalled at or having random strange men ask for your phone number on the street is not actually flattering. it's threatening.

i'd say you should ask mildred beaubrun, of orlando florida, about that, but you can't. she's dead.

shot dead by men who wanted her phone number and then got angry and killed her when she didn't react in the way they wanted her to.

street harassment is about keeping women in their place. it hardly ever escalates to this extent, but then, it hardly ever needs to, to keep women willing to do what men want them to, out of fear they'll be killed.